Directory assistance is a telecommunications service used to find out a specific telephone number and/or address of a residence, business, etc. In a typical directory assistance scenario, a caller may request a telephone number of a residence or business, and a directory assistance system may locate the telephone number and may audibly provide the located telephone number to the caller. Alternatively, the directory assistance system may dial the located telephone number and may connect the caller to the residence or business via the dialed telephone number.
Many directory assistance systems use custom database software to locate listings quickly and automated read back systems to provide a requested telephone number. This enables a directory assistance operator to move on to another caller as soon as a correct listing is located. Some directory assistance systems utilize “store and forward” technology that records a “city and state” requested by a caller and plays the city and state speech to a directory assistance operator before the operator connects with the caller. Many directory assistance systems include interactive voice response systems that utilize speech recognition and recorded speech or speech synthesis to handle a directory assistance call without live operator intervention.
In North America, directory assistance may be accessed by dialing “411” or by dialing “1-area code-555-1212” (e.g., to get a listing in a remote or non-local area code). However, a “411” landline call may provide local listings as well as nationwide listings and sometimes international listings. Most telephone companies permit up to two listings per “411” call. Wireless carriers offer nationwide listings with “411” and some offer additional enhanced directory assistance services. Wireless carriers may audibly provide a “411” listing to a mobile communication device (e.g., a cell phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a global positioning system (GPS) navigation device, etc.). Alternatively, wireless carriers may dial a telephone number (e.g., associated with the “411” listing) and may connect the mobile communication device to the residence or business via the dialed telephone number.